By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)

Ozark enjoyed the type of season you’d expect from a traditional volleyball powerhouse in 2025.

The Tigers finished with a 32-3 record and eclipsed the 30-win mark for the second-straight season.

“Although our season ended before we would have liked, we felt good about the season as a whole,” head coach Adeana Chrestman said. “Our goal is to always make it as deep as possible into the post season, so we were disappointed to lose in the district championship to end our incredible season.”

Heading into her 13th season at Ozark, Chrestman will look at a talented trio of returnees to lead the program in Lucy Roark, Kezzie Lopez and Brooklyn Brownfield.

Roark, a 5-foot-10 sophomore all-state setter, recorded 901 assists, 243 digs, 65 kills and 30 aces last season.

“Lucy ran a 5-1 offense for our squad last season as a freshman and carried herself like a veteran on the floor,” Chrestman said. “She has an incredibly even keeled personality, never getting too high or too low, which allows her to perform at a consistently high level regardless of the situation.”

“She’s one of the quickest players on the court. She does an outstanding job establishing a strong block at the net, and her speed and instincts on defense allow her to track down and keep alive attacks that most players can’t reach. Lucy is really solid in all volleyball skills. She can also pass and attack and that ability will provide us a ton of versatility within our line up.”

Lopez, a 5-foot-10 senior all-conference and all-district outside hitter, finished with 204 kills, 20 blocks and 48 digs as a junior.


“On the court, Kezzie brings strength and experience from the outside hitter position, along with a well-developed offensive toolbox that allows her to score in a variety of ways,” Chrestman said. “She’s a complete player whose leadership and character are just as valuable as her talent. She was second in kills on our squad last season. She could find herself playing in the back court as well this season, offering some back row attacking options for our team.”

Brownfield, a 5-foot-11 junior all-district right side hitter, posted 139 kills, 49 blocks and 42 digs in 2025.

“Brooklyn will most likely move to the middle position for us this coming season,” Chrestman said. “She works incredibly hard to be a blocking presence for us, forcing our opponents to attack around her and in the direction of our defenders. Brooklyn brings fire and an incredible work ethic to our line up.”

In addition to her returning corps, Chrestman expects a host of newcomers to step in and impact the Ozark rotation, including Addisyn Goodwin, Audrey Jenkins, Addison Groeteke, Ella Hedgpeth, Zoey Browning, Mykenzie McTaggart, Blair Bough, Ryleigh McGehee, Olivia McKinney, Sophia Miller, Jillian Elet and Nora Paterson.

Chrestman on Goodwin (senior setter): “Ran a 5-1 offense last season on our undefeated JV team. Will look to help run our offense alongside Lucy. Brings a ton of vocal leadership and maturity to our lineup.”

Chrestman on Jenkins (senior defensive specialist): “Audrey played libero for our undefeated JV team last season, and she is ready to contribute in the backcourt for varsity. She will help anchor our defense. She is very good at the service line with her serve, and we will look to her to put pressure on our opponents serve receive.”

Chrestman on Groeteke (senior defensive specialist): “Will be looked upon to provide vocal leadership and energy.”

Chrestman on Hedgepeth (senior right side hitter): “Will look to provide depth to our line up as an attacker on the right side.”

Chrestman on Browning (junior pin hitter): “versatile player who is a force at the net both defensively and offensively. Will be relied upon to score points for us both in kills and in blocking. Can attack from anywhere along the net, so she will make us versatile. She was relied upon last year to come onto the court in a time of need to make a big play and she exceeded that expectation each time. She is very physical and hungry to contribute at the varsity level on a full-time basis.”

Chrestman on McTaggart (junior middle): “Mykenzie is a physical athlete who has the ability to impact a match on both sides of the net. Her size and athleticism make her a dynamic blocking presence that consistently creates problems for opposing offenses and forces hitters into difficult decisions. Offensively, she has the versatility to attack from multiple routes, excelling on quick sets in front of the setter as well as running behind the setter.

Chrestman on Bough (junior 6-rotation outside hitter): “Blair joins us from Strafford High School as an all-state, six-rotation player who brings a wealth of experience, athleticism and competitiveness to our program. She is the complete package, and she is a competitor. She steps onto the court with the goal to win. From the very beginning, Blair has seamlessly integrated with our returning players, raising the level of play and making an immediate impact on our gym culture and team dynamic.”

Chrestman on McGehee and Mckinney (junior defensive specialists): “Both of these players will provide depth to our defense. Ryleigh can also take some heavy swings from the back court which could provide us with more offensive options. Olivia will provide leadership, energy and accountability and plays a huge role in our positive culture.

Chrestman on Miller (sophomore defensive specialist): “She is one of the most dependable and consistent players we have in our back court. Her consistency and steady play make her an invaluable part of our lineup. She is one of our top serve-receive passers, providing a calm and reliable first contact that allows our offense to operate at a high level. Defensively, her quickness and ability to read the game consistently put her in the right position to make plays.”

Chrestman on Elet (sophomore outside/middle hitter): “Jillian is a long, explosive outside attacker whose athleticism gives her the ability to impact the match. She has a high vertical and a high contact point. This gives her the tools to score over and around opposing blocks. She continues to grow stronger, and we will look to her to gain more power. As she continues to develop, her combination of length, athleticism and work ethic gives her tremendous potential to be a difference maker for our team.”

Chrestman on Paterson (sophomore outside hitter): “Nora is another physical outside attacker who is a highflier on the outside. She will provide depth in our outside attacker positions and could be relied upon to come in on the court to make an impact when needed.”

With plenty of talent, experience and depth on the roster, Chrestman believes the ceiling is incredibly high for her team heading into the fall campaign.

“My expectations for this year’s team are extremely high,” Chrestman said. “While we may have many new faces, this group is full of talent, hunger and a desire to continue the tradition of excellence at Ozark volleyball. We have had an incredible summer of growth, building connections and creating a competitive culture that will continue to elevate throughout the season.”

Chrestman also believes one of Ozark’s biggest strengths this season will be something she cannot teach.

Size.

“One of the biggest strengths will be our physicality,” Chrestman said. “We will have a tall, dynamic front line that allows us to consistently put three strong attackers and blockers across the net, creating pressure and different matchups for our opponents.

“Beyond their physical abilities, this group is made up of great teammates who genuinely support one another and are aligned with a shared goal. They are hard workers, highly coachable, and willing to hold themselves and each other accountable.”

Following an Aug. 25 jamboree at Kickapoo, Ozark opens its season Aug. 27 at home against Jefferson City.